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Tribe travel to Norfolk and fails to score more than 50 points again, loses by 24.
The College hosted a discussion about the moral issues of eating animals.
ODU delivers crushing blow
Vol. 101, Iss. 28 | Tuesday, January 31, 2011
A bone to pick
The Flat Hat The Twice-Weekly Student Newspaper
of The College of William and Mary
Admissions
Applications to College increase
Admissions receives record-breaking number of applications for 7th year in a row
by maggie kern FLAT HAT assoc. news editor
Rankings
College attracts Peace Corps alum College ranks No. 8 in nation by Maggie kern Flat hat assoc. news editor
William and Mary applicants by year 16000 14000
Number of Applicants
The College of William and Mary’s Class of 2016 is drawn from the largest and most diverse undergraduate applicant pool in the College’s history. Associate Provost for Enrollment and Dean of Admissions Henry Broaddus and Senior Associate Dean Tim Wolfe credit the increase to a number of factors in a press release, including the College’s positive national reputation and the outreach efforts of admissions staff. Associate professor in government and the Thomas Jefferson Program in Public Policy Paul Manna commented on the allure the College has for prospective students. “People find this an attractive place. [the College] provides high-quality education at a public school cost,” Manna said. Harriman Professor of Government and Public Policy Chris Howard notes that there are more students in general applying to all colleges, and speculated that financial concerns could be the cause. “Almost every school is getting more students. This may say more about the economy than [it says] of any one school,” Howard said. While trends over the past seven years show that the College is attracting even-larger applicant pools every year, Howard points out that its ability to attract students is contingent on economic factors. “Every year, admissions sends me great students,” Howard said. “Whether we can come to expect [a continual rise in applications and student quality] relies on financial aid and the cost of tuition.” Dayle Hancock, director of teaching laboratories in the physics department, has seen a difference in the makeup of introductory physics courses over the years, which may also be explained by the pressures of the unpredictable economy. “There has been a real push for the STEM
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GRAPHIC BY MEREDITH RAMEY AND CHRIS McKENNA / THE FLAT HAT, PHOTO COURTESY / WM.EDU
The College received a record number of applications this year, with a 6 percent increase compared to last year.
[science, technology, education, and math] fields. In particular, we’ve noticed an increase in certain classes on the pre-med track [in the physics department],” Hancock said. Professors have found that the influx of undergraduate applications has had a positive impact on the College. “I think the entering classes are more diverse both racially and economically,” Howard said. “Students are coming to William
and Mary as better writers.” Research may also benefit from the rise in undergraduate applications, Manna explained, since the school will have a more competitive undergraduate pool. “We’ve been pushing more opportunities for undergraduate students to get involved with research, which we are unusually positioned for with our small size and research facilities,” Manna said.
For many students, the College of William and Mary provides more than a rigorous academic program in a small, historic town. It also prepares them to embark on the adventure of a lifetime: entering the Peace Corps. Among medium-sized universities, the College ranked No. 8 in the nation for producing Peace Corps volunteers. A total of 571 College alumni have served in the Peace Corps since its inception in 1961, and 37 alumni are currently serving. Additionally, many of the College’s current graduate students are former members of the program. Sandy Halasz MBA ’13 served in Senegal, Charlie Seltzer MBA ’13 served in the Dominican Republic and Chad Chadbourn MBA ’13 served in Costa Rica. All entered the Peace Corps after they graduated from college. Each expressed a desire to get involved with meaningful international work. “It really hit me my senior year of undergrad — I wanted to do something different. The Peace Corps was the perfect balance between being productive and having an adventure,” Halasz said. Seltzer was attracted to the program because he wanted to immerse himself in a new culture. “I was interested in learning the Spanish language, a foreign culture, and I wanted to get involved in international development that would provide me with work experience with a great impact,” Seltzer said. Chadbourn echoed the desire to enter into work that was focused on development. “My attraction to the Peace Corps stems from my undergraduate background at the University of Mary Washington,” he said. “I was inspired from studying abroad as an undergraduate and also taking a Latin American development course. As a senior, I was unsure of what I wanted to do, but I liked the fact that the Peace Corps fosters intercultural development.” Seltzer described certain features of the College that may attract students who later become interested in joining the Peace Corps. “I wasn’t surprised William and Mary ranked so high for See PEACE CORPS page 2
Awards
Former men’s soccer coach Albert receives 2011 Honor Award Albert chosen by National Soccer Coaches Association of America for his work at College and beyond bY bailey kirkpatrick Flat hat assoc. variety editor
The Honor Award, a recognition coveted among soccer coaches around the country, is presented by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America to one recipient each year. Former College of William and Mary men’s soccer coach Al Albert ’69, now the Associate Director of Athletics, was the 2011 recipient of the Honor Award at the Jan. 13 event in Kansas City, Mo. “If you look at his biography over the years, he hasn’t just been an icon on campus,” Ray Cieplik, member of the NSCAA and creator of the organization’s charitable Foundations Committee, said. “He has established himself as a knowledgeable person both locally and regionally in Virginia through his many youth developmental programs, helping the philanthropic arm so that young boys and girls can play soccer despite their socioeconomic status.” The committee that selects the candidates each year has a list of hundreds of eligible members. The coaches must have been part of the association for at least 20 years, devoted much of their careers to promote the sport of soccer and put years of meritorious service into the soccer community at all levels along with the NSCAA. “I was mostly surprised and a little emotional,” Albert said. “I have been a member for 40 years and started going to the dinners early on and saw some of the greatest soccer coaches of all time receive it and
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it’s unbelievable to be receiving the same award as they did. It’s a really big deal, and I really didn’t see it coming.” While Albert was head coach at the College, he had 29 consecutive winning seasons — 26 in a row with 10 or more wins. He coached numerous alumni who went on to have professional soccer careers, and one player, Jon Stewart ’84, became a television icon. Albert has a special interest in the philanthropic side of soccer. In recent years, after head coach Chris Norris took over the College team in 2003, he has been more involved in trying to make it a mainstream sport in the United States. It has long been an upper-middle-class sport due to expensive recreation fees and travel team dues, which leave a large proportion of children and adults in the population without access to the sport. This differs in most international communities, where socioeconomic level usually does not prevent anyone from playing soccer. Albert’s work in various organizations has not only touched the lives of people in the College community but also the lives of people around the world. He has coached in the Maccabiah games, an international Jewish athletic competition, and helped to establish the Urban Soccer Collaborative, a youth development initiative. Albert has also served as the NSCAA president and led many philanthropic organizations to aid coaches and children in underprivileged communities. “He is a humble man and not a self-promoter,”
Inside opinions
MICHELLE GABRO / THE FLAT HAT
Former men’s soccer coach Al Albert ‘69 received the Honor Award, presented by the National Soccer Coaches Assocation of America.
Cieplik said. “He really lets his actions speak for him — as a communicator, when rallying people to causes, or when becoming involved in organizations that join together for the good of the soccer community.” Long before Albert received official recognition, other coaches appreciated his efforts. “You have a lot of coaches that deal with the x’s and o’s of the game, but Al transcends that,” volunteer assistant coach Tom Duffy said. “He looks at each individual player, and then the team as a whole. Through the NSCAA, Al has really provided an umbrella for other regional groups to become a
Parking is a wreck
The persistent problem of parking at the College of William and Mary deserves immediate action to better serve students’ needs. page 4
Inside VARIETY
larger and more active part of the soccer community.” This enthusiasm and love for the game has served not only to inspire the players, but his coworkers as well. “He is a great leader and a great mentor. He is a down-to-earth person, somebody you can talk to about things— pick his brain and ask his help choosing directions or developing coaching philosophies,” assistant head coach Charles Connelly said. “He’s great with the kids and in coaching, and he cares much more about the team than he does himself. It was only a matter of time before he received this tremendous award.”
Breaking boundaries
The team members dance their hearts out at an open practice. Always looking to showcase their moves and find new talent on campus, they are trying to continue their five-year legacy at the College. page 6